Spillage free fluid bottle

ABSTRACT

A spillage free fluid bottle has a partition plate with a first opening to allow the bottle to be tilted to a horizontal position with the outlet sprout positioned at the lowest position without fluid escaping out of the bottle. A second opening in the partition plate allows fluid to be injected into the lower reservoir section of the bottle during filling process of the bottle. The second opening is sealed by an insert, which is assembled into the fluid bottle after filling process.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Oil spillage has been a common problem encountered during pouring engineoil from an oil bottle to the fill port of an automobile engine. Oilspillage is due to oil begins to escape out of bottle when the bottle istilted to a certain degree, in which, the outlet sprout of the bottle isnot yet emerged into the fill port of the engine. The use of a drainfunnel adapted to the fill port of the engine can prevent oil spillage.But there is still a popular demand for a spill free oil bottle toprevent spillage without using the drain funnel.

One unsuccessful prior approach to the design of a spillage free fluidbottle is shown in FIG. 1. The fluid bottle has a convergent section inthe upper section. The outlet sprout, which sits on the top of theconvergent section, is nearly located to the right side of the fluidbottle. The intent of such arrangement is to allow the fluid bottle tobe tilted counter clockwise to a certain degree without fluid escapingout of fluid bottle. It becomes apparent that the less fluid content isstored in the bottle, the higher degree is allowed to tilt the bottlewithout fluid escaping out of the bottle. But the bottle with reducedstorage capacity is not economical. Presumably, the ultimate design mayallow the bottle to be tilted to a maximum 90 degree counter clockwisewithout fluid escaping out of bottle. In this case, the outlet sprout ispositioned horizontally at relatively the highest elevation of thebottle without fluid escaping out of the bottle. But, when the bottle ispositioned horizontally to approach to the fill port of the engine,there still exists a vertical distance between the outlet sprout of thebottle and the fill port of the engine. It has been proved that spillagecan still occur in this case. This is due to the fact that the bottleneeds to be tilted further beyond 90 degree to pass the verticaldistance between the outlet sprout of the bottle and the fill port ofthe engine before the outlet sprout can be completely merged into thefill port of the engine. Consequently, fluid escapes out of the bottleas soon as the bottle is tilted beyond 90 degree.

Another unsuccessful prior approach to the design of a spillage freefluid bottle is to incorporate a baffle plate within the bottle adjacentto the outlet port. The baffle plate allows the bottle to be tilted to alarger degree without fluid escaping from the bottle. Therefore, theoutlet port of the bottle can be aligned to the fill port of the enginebefore fluid escaping from the bottle. The drawback of this priorapproach is that the baffle plate becomes a barrier during fillingprocess of the bottle. This significantly slows down the filling processbecause fluid must be injected into fluid bottle in a small sectionabove the baffle plate, and is then drained down to the main body of thebottle by gravity. There is also a possibility that oil spillage mayoccur during the filling process.

There are other prior approaches to the design of a spillage free fluidbottle such as adopting a rupture disc or spring biased device withinthe bottle, or a control device within the cap of the bottle . . . etc.These prior approaches present a serious risk of introducing a movingpart into the engine if the incorporated device fails within the bottle.

Therefore, there is still a need to design a spillage free bottle thatdoes not slow down the filling process of the bottle. Equally important,the fluid bottle must have a fail-safe design without a possibility ofcontaminating fluid content with foreign object. Finally, themanufacturing cost of such fluid bottle must be minimum.

The spillage free bottle of present invention has a horizontal partitionplate that divides the bottle into an upper transition section and alower reservoir section. The partition plate has a first opening locatedadjacent to a side wall of the bottle, and a second opening locatedbelow the outlet port of the bottle. The second opening is considered asa temporary opening for use only during the filling process of thebottle. The second opening allows fluid to be directly injected into thelower reservoir section of the bottle. As a result, the fluid bottle ofpresent invention does not slow down the filing process, or encounterthe possibility of spillage during the filling process. After completionof the filling process, an insert is assembled into the fluid bottle tocompletely seal the second opening. The insert is provided with openingsand flow passage for purpose of transporting fluid out of fluid bottleduring pouring.

The fluid bottle of present invention allows the fluid bottle to betilted 90 degree, and allows the outlet sprout of fluid bottle to bepositioned horizontally at relatively the lowest elevation rather thanthe highest elevation of the bottle without fluid escaping out of fluidbottle. This allows the outlet sprout of fluid bottle to be positionedimmediately adjacent to the fill port of a fluid receiver without fluidescaping out of fluid bottle. After completion of such immediatealignment, spillage is not likely to occur as fluid bottle being furthertilted beyond 90 degree.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

One object of present invention is to provide a spillage free fluidbottle without slowing down the filling process of the bottle.

Another object of present invention is to provide a spillage free fluidbottle without containing a moving part or mechanical device within thebottle.

Another object of present invention is to provide a spillage free fluidbottle at minimum cost.

Another object of present invention is to allow the outlet sprout offluid bottle to be positioned horizontally at relatively the lowestelevation of the bottle without fluid escaping out of fluid bottle.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the spillage free fluid bottle of priorart.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the first preferred embodiments of thespillage free fluid bottle of present invention.

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the second preferred embodiments of thespillage free fluid bottle of present invention.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the insert of the second preferredembodiments of the spillage free fluid bottle of present invention.

FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view of FIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the first preferred embodiments of thespillage free fluid bottle of present invention. FIG. 3 is an explodedview of FIG. 2. FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view of FIG. 2. The spillagefree fluid bottle 1 comprises of a bottle body 2, an outlet sprout 3, aninsert 4, a cap 5, and a horizontal partition plate 6. The partitionplate 6 is integrally constructed within bottle body 2 with a sideopening 7 and a center opening 8. The partition plate divides theinternal volume of bottle body 2 into an upper transition section 9 anda lower reservoir section 10. The insert 4 is basically a hollowcylinder that consists of an externally threaded top end 11 forreceiving screw cap 5, a collar 12 extended radially outward, anexternally threaded midsection 13 for engaging with internal threads 14of the outlet sprout 3, a plurality of peripheral openings 15, a closedbottom 16 with tapered end 17 matching the tapered end 18 of centeropening 8 in partition plate 6, and an internal passage 19. Preferably,both threads 13 in insert 4 and threads 14 in sprout 3 are left handthreads so that insert 4 is assembled into bottle body 2 with left handthreads engagement. This is to ensure insert 4 is securely attached tobottle body 2 when an user unscrews the cap 5. The purpose of peripheralopenings 15 and internal passage 19 is to transport fluid out of fluidbottle 1 during pouring.

The fluid bottle 1 is filled at a process plant prior to assemblinginsert 4 into bottle body 2. Fluid is directly injected into the lowerreservoir section 10 through center opening 8 in partition plate 6during filling process. After completion of filling process, insert 4can be assembled into bottle body 2 through outlet sprout 3 by a cappingmachine rather than manually. Cap 5 is preferably pre-assembled to topend 11 of insert 4 prior to the capping process. During capping process,capping machine grips the collar 12 of insert 4 in lieu of cap 5 becausethe outside diameter of collar 12 is slightly larger than that of cap 5.Capping machine then screw the insert 4 into bottle body 2 until thetapered end 17 of insert 4 being engaged with the tapered end 18 ofcenter opening 8, which completely seals opening 8. In the case thatinsert 4 and sprout 3 are engaged with left hand threads, cappingmachine must rotate counter clockwise.

It should be noted that the locations of outlet sprout 3 and sideopening 7 are offset at a maximum distance. As shown in FIG. 4, outletsprout 3 is located on top of the bottle body 2 adjacent to the rightside of bottle body 2. Opening 7 is located next to the left side ofbottle body 2. Opening 8 is centered along the vertical center line ofthe outlet sprout 3. Based on these arrangements, fluid bottle 1 must betilted clockwise in order to prevent fluid escaping from side opening 7.Also, fluid bottle 1 must be tilted clockwise in order to positionoutlet sprout 3 at relatively the lowest elevation of fluid bottle 1.The fluid volume stored in lower reservoir section 10 is predeterminedso that, when fluid bottle 1 is tilted 90 degree clockwise, no fluidwill escape from side opening 7. It should be noted that, when fluidbottle is tilted 90 degree clockwise, the outlet sprout 3 is positionedhorizontally at relatively the lowest elevation of the fluid bottle 1.This allows the outlet sprout 3 to be positioned immediately adjacent tothe fill port of a fluid receiver. After completion of such immediatealignment, spillage is not likely to occur as fluid bottle being furthertilted beyond 90 degree. It becomes apparent that, when fluid bottle 1is tilted up side down, fluid in lower reservoir section 10 will bediverted into upper transition section 9 through side opening 7, andthen diverted from upper transition section 9 to the outlet sprout 3through openings 15 and internal passage 19 of insert 4.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the second preferred embodiments of thespillage free fluid bottle of present invention. FIG. 6 is a perspectiveview of the insert of the second preferred embodiments. FIG. 7 is across sectional view of FIG. 5. The second preferred embodiments aredifferent from the first preferred embodiments only in respect to theapplication of the insert. The construction of the bottle body 20 andpartition plate 21 of second preferred embodiments shown in FIG. 7 isidentical to the bottle body 2 and partition plate 6 of the firstpreferred embodiments. The insert 22 is assembled into fluid bottle 20by pushing/sliding rather than by thread engagement proposed in thefirst preferred embodiments. Therefore, insert 22 becomes the simplifiedversion of the insert 4 of the first preferred embodiments. The insert22 has a top opening end 23, a plurality of peripheral openings 24 inthe midsection, and a closed bottom 25 with tapered end 26 matching thetapered end 27 of center opening 28 in partition plate 21. Screw cap 29is screwed onto the outlet sprout 30.

It is understood that fluid bottle of present invention in both firstand second preferred embodiments must be tilted in the proper directionin order to avoid spillage during pouring. Graphical instructionmarkings 31 and 32 shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 5 respectively are providedfor indicating the proper direction for tilting the fluid bottle duringpouring.

1. A spillage free fluid bottle comprises: a enclosure body having anintegrally connected sprout for transporting fluid, in which, saidsprout is located at the top of said enclosure body adjacent to a firstside wall of said enclosure body; and a horizontal partition plateintegrally connected to said enclosure body within said enclosure body,in which, said partition plate divides the internal volume of saidenclosure body into an upper and lower sections, said partition platehas a first opening adjacent to a second side wall of said enclosurebody opposite to said first side wall of said enclosure body, and saidpartition plate has a second opening centered along the vertical centerline of said sprout; and a insert body made of a hollow cylinder havinga top opening end, a plurality of peripheral openings in midsection, anda closed bottom with tapered end that matches the tapered end of saidsecond opening of said partition plate; and said insert body having aninternal flow passage for transporting fluid between said top openingend and said peripheral openings; Wherein: fluid being injected directlyinto said lower section of said enclosure body through said sprout andsaid second opening of said partition plate prior to assembling saidinsert body into said fluid bottle; and said insert body being assembledinto said fluid bottle after a filling process, in which, said secondopening of said partition plate is completely sealed by said tapered endof said closed bottom of said insert body; and said fluid bottle capableof being tilted 90 degree so that said sprout is positioned horizontallyat relatively the lowest elevation of said fluid bottle without fluidescaping out of said fluid bottle.
 2. In claim 1, said insert body alsohas first external threads at said top opening end for receiving a screwcap, a collar projected radially outward so that a capping machine cangrip onto said collar to assemble said insert body into said fluidbottle, and second external threads in midsection between said collarand said peripheral openings; and said sprout has internal threads sothat said insert body is assembled into said fluid bottle through threadengagement between said internal threads of said sprout and said secondexternal threads of said insert body.
 3. In claim 1, said insert bodyalso has external right hand threads at said top opening end forreceiving a screw cap, a collar projected radially outward so that acapping machine can grip onto said collar to assemble said insert bodyinto said fluid bottle, and external left hand threads in midsectionbetween said collar and said peripheral openings; and said sprout hasinternal left hand threads so that said insert body is assembled intosaid fluid bottle through thread engagement between said internal lefthand threads of said sprout and said second external left hand threadsof said insert body.
 4. In claim 1, said sprout has external threads forreceiving a screw cap, and said insert body is assembled into said fluidbottle by pushing with force before said screw cap being assembled ontosaid sprout.
 5. In claims 2 and 3, said screw cap is pre-assembled ontosaid insert body prior to assembling said insert body into said fluidbottle.
 6. In claims 2 and 3, said screw cap is assembled onto saidinsert body after assembling said insert body into said fluid bottle. 7.In claim 1, a graphical marking is provided on the outer surface of saidfluid bottle for indicating the proper direction for tilting said fluidbottle during pouring.